I'm not looking for a [censored] contest, here. I'm just expressing my opinion. Harley motors have pretty tight clearances. Mostly around .001" or .0015" I would guess that since most aircraft have fuel mixture adjusters to compensate for altitude changes. Any time you run lean you create more heat. Low altitude ( taxiing, takeoff, etc.) will cause thee mixture to be dramatically leaner than the same setting at high altitudes. Airplanes remedy this by having a mixture adjusting control, so you can set the mixture appropriately for a given altitude. I would speculate that the motor you are refering to is siezing because of the mixture being lean, coupled with the power level being elevated because of take off. At take off the drag is very high and the power requirements are extreme. simultaneously the air is more dense, and that makes the mixture leaner. Lean mixture, coupled with high power requirements is a recipe for siezed pistons this would require large piston clearances.
I congratulate you on your success with your class, and I don't mean to detract from your knowledge. I'm sure you are quite competent and capable. We are debating a small yet significant
aspect of engines. A difference of opinion about ring end gaps, does'nt mean I'm not a good mechanic or that you're not a good mechanic. Lets offer both of our opinions and let everyone who reads it decide thier own course.
